Beauty

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

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@just bee wrote:

Well... I'm heading back to work this week.  I've taken off the gauntlet and I've already forgotten the terminology the Ortho doc used when she said it would take two years for the hand to look like the other one.  Remodeling?  No... but something like that.  Actually, I think it is remodeling.  The side of my hand will look different until then.

Must nap before work...

This will be interesting because I've been on my lark schedule and will have to be on my owl schedule now.

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@just bee

I can’t believe it’s been long enough since your accident that you’re able to go “bare-handed” already.  Seems like just a couple of weeks ago it happened.  Probably not to you, though.  I suppose your co-workers will be glad to see you, since you’re just in time to work their Christmas shifts!

Best of luck, hootie. 🦉

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Who?  Who???

[PAlady]

Just wanted to stop in and wish everyone a - Very Merry and Safe Christmas.

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

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@just bee

I can’t believe it’s been long enough since your accident that you’re able to go “bare-handed” already.  Seems like just a couple of weeks ago it happened.  Probably not to you, though.  I suppose your co-workers will be glad to see you, since you’re just in time to work their Christmas shifts!

Best of luck, hootie. 🦉

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@geezerette

How did you know?

Actually, it was a trade of shifts so the person's holiday wouldn't be ruined.  But then she called in sick on the shift she was to work for me, so I ended up with my shifts during the week and her shifts this weekend.

And I have received disturbing news so I may not be posting much as this year spirals down, down, down to the depths of... well, whatever it's spiraling down to.

So I must take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, indeed, and as Tiny Tim would say -- the one in the Dickens story and not the one who tiptoed through the tulips...

God bless us, every one!

And a tip o' the hat to Mr. Nat King Cole:

Spiraling, spiraling, down we go

Christmas bells are ringing!

[PAlady]

Just Bee -  Don't know what the disturbing news is -  But, I wish you the best and please take care.

[Oshare-girl]

Merry Christmas to all!  I hope everyone is having a nice, relaxing holiday season with your favorite people.  Where has Doable December gone?  I caught up on the thread and agree with so much that you discussed.  I need to get back on HEP and taking care of my health.  I finally succumbed and bought a couple of pairs of jeans in a larger size.  I actually feel so much better wearing them as long as I don't look at the tag.  I moved my 2 tightest pairs into a drawer in the hopes that they will become wearable in 2018.  

DD went to her first high school dance last week.  I did her makeup and commented that she's been waiting all her life for this day.  Ever since she could, she's been sneaking around my makeup and now she can finally wear it out of the house.  She commented back to me that I've been waiting for this day all my life too.  Smartie.  She's right.  I've been looking forward to the day when I can share the bounty of my stash with her.

I retired the few remaining shadows from my 2017 pan-that-palette and started on my 2018 PTP.  It's the Urban Decay X Gwen Stefani palette.  I've been using it for the last 2 weeks and it's such a joy to be able to use something different after a year of using the other palette.  

I tossed the Tartelette Tease palette after hitting pan on half the shadows in it.  It was becoming a drag to use. Boy did that feel good to toss it. My eyeshadow plan for 2018 is to supplement the PTP with the smaller palettes I have, rotating each one quarterly.  I can usually hit pan on a shadow in 3-4 months of daily use.  If I can hit pan on at least half the shadows, then I'll feel like I got enough use out of them.  This is going to be the way I downsize the amount of eyeshadow in my collection. And @aprilskies, I haven't bought eyeshadow in 2017 either!  That was really the only way that I was able to make any progress this year.  For a while I wasn't wearing too much eyeshadow but I've caught a second wind now that I'm using a different palette.  I've been enjoying the process again.

I finished 4 lipsticks in 2017!  One by one until they were done.

I tracked the value of products I used up and decluttered over the year.  It pains me to see the number but it was over $1000 worth!  About half was finished and the other half was decluttered.  So much waste!  I am determined to decrease and hopefully eliminate impulse purchases in the future.

There was a lot of discussion on oils this month.  I'm an oil cleanser and and I also use an oil as my last step at night.  I've found products that I really like but have used some real duds along the way.  @just bee I got a sample of Paula's Choice Oil Cleanser and tried it.  It was heavier than the oil I use now and didn't wash off as well.  Phew, glad I didn't like it.  I think I've finally settled on a skincare regimen that works.  I finished a ton of skincare this year because I had a little foray into "green" beauty and tried a lot of new products.  My favorites are from indie brands with small product lines that aren't overwhelming and are reasonably priced too.  But the star is still Renova. Oh, one oil that I don't care for is body oils.  I prefer lotions.  The body oils are so messy!

No new purses have been purchased in 2017.  1 pair of sandals were purchased in June.  I just ordered a couple of pairs of Papillio by Birkenstock sandals from Hautelook.  They are THE best shoes for my feet.  These styles have been discontinued so when I saw them on sale, I jumped on them.  

I've started to use the samples I receive right away instead of saving them for travel.  It satisfies any urges to try new products and keeps me from purchasing new items.

Wow this is a long post.  Final story about saving the good stuff.  When I was a kid, our extended family went on a trip to the east coast.  My mom had to work so she stayed back but sent me & my dad with new, crispy $100 bills.  I came home with all of my portion.  They were too new to spend.  My mom thought that was hilarious.  Looks like I had these tendencies for a long time.  I'm finally getting over it and not saving the best.

WIshing you all great health in 2018! 

[geezerette]

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, or an enjoyable weekend whatever you did or didn’t celebrate.

I turned off all electronics for the weekend and it was wonderful!  Very calm and peaceful, and I had a lot more time for just me.  I didn’t realize how much these devices were affecting me, and I don’t use them as much as most people.  Just not checking for texts or emails was nice.  So...I think this is another area I am going to start downscaling and compacting.  Limiting my time and exposure online.  It should not only give me more peace of mind, but save me money by not shopping as much!  A good New Year’s Resolution.

@Oshare-girl  I have tip-toed into the oil revolution.  I don’t exactly cleanse with it, but I do use it to remove SPF, then cleanse with a mild cleanser as usual. It not only takes off the SPF better that way, it leaves my skin softer than just cleansing alone.  I’ve been experimenting with oil as a moisturizer and am still on the fence about that.

I agree with you about Birkenstocks—they are great!  They’re what I wear all the time, except when I need a full, closed-toe shoe.

@just bee  I have to echo @PAlady and say that I hope everything is okay with you and BH.  Take care, my friend.

I’ll take the time right now to say that I wish everyone a very Happy and Healthy 2018.🎆🎊🎇  

And keep Compacting!👍

[rnmom]

@just bee- I'm so sorry to hear that you had disturbing news, I hope everything works out well for you.

I will continue on my ComPacting journey next year, I'm getting very close to about the level I want to be at as far as my stash of beauty products goes. I'm also feeling pretty good about the level of overall decluttering throughout the whole house. I follow a blog called Mary Organizes and she does a 91 day declutter challenge at the beginning of the year each year, this next one starts Jan 1. I've actually started a bit early because I had some days off over the holidays and have 3 bags and 2 small boxes to drop off this weekend. I will continue that into the new year too and hopefully have more to donate over the next 3 months. The only downside is my hubby's stuff, he has a lot and does declutter once in a while but he definitely doesn't care as much as I do. So I do what I can with everything else and leave his stuff alone. I usually just wait until he's ready to tackle something. Sometimes I'll mention things, but usually just let it ride, he'll get to it eventually. And with 2 growing boys here, decluttering is an ongoing process, seems like I always have a bag going as I stumble on items they've outgrown, etc. but this will give me a jump start to get the new year off on a good foot. 

One of the good things about the holidays for me is that we get so many new items in that the urge to shop and buy is diminished too. I'm hoping to save a bit over the next few months because I'm not holiday shopping for presents, food, etc. I definitely don't have the desire to purchase stuff right now so that is helpful. Here's to a wonderful and productive 2018! 

[geezerette]

@rnmom

I’m in a similar situation re the husband and decluttering.  I’ve done a pretty good job with what I have control over and have very little left to get rid of.  I’d actually like to heave a bunch more stuff, but I’m getting down to things I do use and need, just not all the time.  It just bothers me that I have to store those things while they’re not being used!

My husband is a different story.  He doesn’t buy much at all, but he never throws anything out!  Like you, I don’t touch his things, but that doesn’t mean that the clutter doesn’t drive me crazy!  At the very minimum I don’t understand why some of the stuff can’t be put away somewhere if he insists on keeping it.  Most of what I don’t understand is why he keeps things he never is going to use or things like outdated papers.  He does go through things once in a blue moon, usually when the pile of whatever gets sooo big it finally bothers even him.  But he puts up with so much from me that I can’t complain...except in here!😋

If I can keep from bringing too much in in 2018, then I won’t be having anything going out, since I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t have much extra stuff to get rid of or use up.  You’re so right about the holidays giving us a leg up on tamping down the buying desire.  Right now I’m shopped out!  Here’s to a minimal 2018!

Happy New Year!

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

@rnmom

My husband is a different story.  He doesn’t buy much at all, but he never throws anything out!  Like you, I don’t touch his things, but that doesn’t mean that the clutter doesn’t drive me crazy!  At the very minimum I don’t understand why some of the stuff can’t be put away somewhere if he insists on keeping it.  Most of what I don’t understand is why he keeps things he never is going to use or things like outdated papers.  He does go through things once in a blue moon, usually when the pile of whatever gets sooo big it finally bothers even him.  But he puts up with so much from me that I can’t complain...except in here!😋

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@geezerette

You've just described Better-half and me -- except that I'm your husband and you're Better-half!

I just unpacked a gift bag from a coworker and he explained to me how I wasn't going to use any of the items and that I was going to squirrel them away forever, including the chocolates.

Why I oughta...

[aprilskies]

@just bee, I hope everything is okay and hope 2018 starts better than 2017 seems to be ending for you. 

@Oshare-girl, great job on no eyeshadow palettes in 2017.  Me too. I thought I was going to falter so many times, but I held out. It helps when i remember to think things through.  

@geezerette, one of the things I need to do is declutter my online life.  I spend way too much time frittering away my time.  Especially beauty related sites. I discover products I would never have known existed or that I even wanted and all of a sudden I don’t rest until I get it and then they sit in my drawers. I think it is a way to procrastinate all the important, harder, things I need to focus on. 

@rnmom, your decluttering sounds like it is in good shape.  Mine is decent too. But I need to start concentrating on the harder items and can probably do another round as well.  Like @geezerette, some of my things I only use a few times during the year so I won’t get rid of them but they bug me too. Lol.   @Justbee,  get decluttering, woman. 

In 2017 - I bought only one mu item so I consider that a major success for me. I even gave myself leeway to purchase one eyeshadow palette but I just don’t need more and need to get using what I already have. So pat pat.  I did buy several skincare items but still better than previous years even with me going a bit crazy in the last quarter. So, I consider 2017 a success even though I bought some things I just didn’t need. My first successful year in over a decade +. 

In 2018 - I am also planning a very minimal year.  No more impulse purchases.  And I will continue with my “use up.”  I am buying only to replace. 

I am also going to start learning all of the small appliances I just had to have and never used.  Otherwise, they need to go.